2018.9.9

Scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 11: 27-32

Title: Missionary Church 34. Church Members Communion Service

25 years ago, I served as a full time pastor at a small church named 'Saetbuyl Church' in Gimhae, Kyungnam Korea. At the same time, there was an ordained pastor serving at nearby church, whom I recall was older, short in height, had stalking eyes and long eyebrows. I mention his physical appearance because his first impression and his acts were so similar. He was not big but he overwhelmed his audience with his charisma overflowing with stalking eyes and actions. Since I, not ordained pastor, could not administer the communion service, the pastor came to our church 3-4 times a year. The issue was that every time the pastor came, he would criticize church members. Before the communion service, the pastor would always quote same scripture reading,

“그러므로 누구든지 주의 떡이나 잔을 합당하지 않게 먹고 마시는 자는 주의 몸과 피에 대하여 죄를 짓는 것이니라 사람이 자기를 살피고 그 후에야 이 떡을 먹고 이 잔을 마실지니 주의 몸을 분별하지 못하고 먹고 마시는 자는 자기의 죄를 먹고 마시는 것이니라”(고전 11:27-29)

"Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgement on himself. 1Corinthians 11: 27-29

And stare at church members with flame-like eyes. To be honest, I was not happy to participate in the communion service. As a pastor preaching, there are uneasy things and I often thought, is it necessary to scare frail church members? I hoped that the communion service would be a graceful and comfort service to church members... he is not totally wrong but not necessarily needed and I could not hide reluctance.

1.The Problem facing the Corinthian Church

As I said through the sermon last week, there were two reasons why the apostle Paul had to write to the Corinthian Church. The first was that the idea of heresy began to enter the church, and it was a branch within the church. In 1Corinthians, Paul encourages them to stop making antagonisms and accusations against Paul, Peter, Apollo and even Jesus.

However, in fact, these two actually resemble each other in essence. In chapter 10 of 1Corinthians;

"형제들아 나는 너희가 알지 못하기를 원하지 아니하노니 우리 조상들이 다 구름 아래에 있고 바다 가운데로 지나며 모세에게 속하여 다 구름과 바다에서 세례를 받고 다 같은 신령한 음식을 먹으며 다 같은 신령한 음료를 마셨으니 이는 그들을 따르는 신령한 반석으로부터 마셨으매 그 반석은 곧 그리스도시라”(고전 10:1-3)

"For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ." 1Corinthians 10:1-4

They have the same historical experience, have enjoyed the same grace, served the same God, and are confessing the same Jesus as Christ. Therefore, they must be able to overcome the differences and ways of thinking of each other's ways of life with the same faith and hope. But they fail. 'Other things' began to come into them. The heresy came in and divided the church and divided itself by not being able to overcome the difference of the thought of each other and the way of the faith life. The sect that denies the unity of other faith-based heresies and churches in the church is different but eventually has the same roots. If denying one God is a heresy, denying a one-body church is a sect.

2.Allow Communion service

It is logically unreasonable to regard heresy and sects in the church as the same root. But if you look at the reality of the Corinthian Church, you can understand why this is the same root. The Apostle Paul focuses on the communion service of the church of Corinth.

Congregation! What is the origin of the communion service? The apostle Paul explains the communion service through the experience of the Israelites who ate and drank from the wilderness by heaven, and explained the sacrament from the incident of Jesus feeding five thousand with five loaves and two fish from the sea of Galilee. But the most important explanation of all these events is the crucifixion of Jesus tearing and bloody flesh, and the last supper to share before the cross. Jesus shared his last supper with his disciples and urged them. "This cup is my blood, this bread is my flesh. You are now eating and drinking me. Remember me, my commandments, and my love, while performing this ordinance until you meet me again." Later, all the congregation and churches who confess Jesus as Christ become one in eating and drinking Jesus beyond the barriers of nation, language, and culture. In the life of one person, Jesus exist, and Jesus exists in the relationship. However, Jesus is not consumed by the congregation and the church eating and drinking Jesus. Rather, Jesus is revealed through their lives and relationships. They become one another, serve each other, and become each other's food. This is the church. This is the mystery of the communion service. So the church and the congregation who go to the communion service can confess that Jesus is in us and that we are in the grace of Jesus. Before meeting Jesus, all the people who have all the differences come to meet Jesus and participate in the communion service to experience a one-faith, one-hope church, becoming one in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, first, the communion service is an evidence that the church congregation has the same faith and hope. Second, with the communion service, the church confirms unity in God. All of our differences are united by the merits and grace of Jesus' blood. Do you remember the praise you sang at juvenile Sunday school? "We are reconciled in Jesus. We are in love with Jesus. Glory of God there is hope to be with us. We are delighted in Jesus." Just like in this praise we are reconciled in Jesus. By faith in Jesus we become one and we become one through relationship. Sharing the communion service is evidence that we are churches of one another.

3. Examine yourselves

Why, then, does Paul point out the problem facing the Corinthian church and rather focus on the communion service? Because their faith is distorted and the relationship is broken and this can be confirmed through the communion service they participate in.

For a long time, we have, no I have long understood the words of the warning of the communion service, 1Corinthians 11:27-29, as a statement of personal spirituality and morality. I think that was also the same for the pastor who administered when I was an assistant pastor. Looking at us with stalking eyes, "you guys... you better not be part of the communion service if you have guilt in your heart. If you sin and participate in communion service, it is like eating and drinking your sins." If so, the communion service cay not be a grace and blessing to the participating churches and believers. Who dares to say that he deserves to participate in the ritual of eating and drinking the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ?

So what does it mean to look at yourself in today's scripture and discern your body? It is necessary to think of this in the purpose of Paul's writing in 1Corinthians and in the flow of the letter "Corinthians." Let us look at chapter 11: 18-22.

“먼저 너희가 교회에 모일 때에 너희 중에 분쟁이 있다 함을 듣고 어느 정도 믿거니와 너희 중에 파당이 있어야 너희 중에 옳다 인정함을 받은 자들이 나타나게 되리라 그런즉 너희가 함께 모여서 주의 만찬을 먹을 수 없으니 이는 먹을 때에 각각 자기의 만찬을 먼저 갖다 먹으므로 어떤 사람은 시장하고 어떤 사람은 취함이라 너희가 먹고 마실 집이 없느냐 너희가 하나님의 교회를 업신여기고 빈궁한 자들을 부끄럽게 하느냐 내가 너희에게 무슨 말을 하랴 너희를 칭찬하랴 이것으로 칭찬하지 않노라”(고전 11:18-22)

In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not! (1Corinthians 11:18-22)

What is the main point of the problem that Apostle Paul mentions. It is the divided mind among them. Even when they were sharing the communion service, they wanted to have it by sect. Some people did not consider others and finished everything before others. At that time, the communion service was not a ceremony as it is today, but a meal with actual worship. They performed sectarian acts of sharing the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. Paul strictly points out this problem. They are doing wrong. Paul said this was a despise of the Church of God. And Paul again explains the communion service through verse 23, which we know well.

“내가 너희에게 전한 것은 주께 받은 것이니 곧 주 예수께서 잡히시던 밤에 떡을 가지사 축사하시고 떼어 이르시되 이것은 너희를 위하는 내 몸이니 이것을 행하여 나를 기념하라 하시고 식후에 또한 그와 같이 잔을 가지시고 이르시되 이 잔은 내 피로 세운 새 언약이니 이것을 행하여 마실 때마다 나를 기념하라 하셨으니 너희가 이 떡을 먹으며 이 잔을 마실 때마다 주의 죽으심을 그가 오실 때까지 전하는 것이니라”(고전 11:23-26)

"For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." (1Corinthians 11:23-26)

Now the warning scripture of the problem. Would you like to think about this again through the context that you thought about a while ago?

“그러므로 누구든지 주의 떡이나 잔을 합당하지 않게 먹고 마시는 자는 주의 몸과 피에 대하여 죄를 짓는 것이니라 사람이 자기를 살피고 그 후에야 이 떡을 먹고 이 잔을 마실지니 주의 몸을 분별하지 못하고 먹고 마시는 자는 자기의 죄를 먹고 마시는 것이니라”(고전 11:27-29)

"Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself" (1Corinthians 11:27-29)

What does it mean to examine yourself and to recognize the body of the Lord? Do you still think it is being moral and spiritual?

4.To be One Faith, and One Church

Why write to the Corinthians in the first place, and why mention communion service? It is because of the divided church. divided minds of the congregation. Their segregation appears into pieces even in the communion service, which is the most beautiful gift Jesus has granted to the Church. The most gracious and beautiful grace that the Lord has granted is in their most subtle and ugly divided minds. As a believer who confesses the same faith and has the same desire, despise the church. We ignore the power and grace of the cross of Jesus Christ. Is it not like the disciples who were divided high before Jesus' cross, and the disciples who pointed at each other while sharing the sacrament?

Therefore, Paul exhorted Corinthian church in verse 33.

“그런즉 내 형제들아 먹으러 모일 때에 서로 기다리라 만일 누구든지 시장하거든 집에서 먹을지니 이는 너희의 모임이 판단 받는 모임이 되지 않게 하려 함이라”(고전 11:33-34)

"So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgement. And when I come I will give further directions." (1Corinthians 11:33-34)

Paul's exhortation is to wait for each other. This is not just about waiting. It is acknowledging and caring for each other as a part of sharing the communion service together. Why did not they even share the sacrament? It is because we judge each other. This is because we distinguish between good and bad. You start to have emotions, judge others, point fingers, and not want to share in communion service. But what does Paul say in verse 34? The purpose for which the congregation meet in the Church must be distinguished from their purpose for satisfaction and fulfillment. Anyone who wants to eat... eat at home. Do not try to achieve personal purpose through the church. If anyone wants to be recognized, wants to get satisfaction through and intimate relationship, and anyone who wants to gain strength... it is not for the church. In doing so, the church becomes a meeting to judge one another. So Paul exhorts. Do not judge and condemn each other, do not distinguish and divide one another... The believers confess their faith together and have hope for each other. We have to wait to share the communion service, wait for each others' growth and change, and wait for your own maturity and perseverance.

Let's look at the flow of letters. In chapter 10 we pointed to the division of the church, and in chapter 11 we condemned the church for breaking the sacrament. Chapter 12 explains why they were segregated. It was too much to have for one. They boasted of their own gifts and abilities. They thought it was the best. The Jews boasted of their generation and their tradition, and the Greeks were proud of their scholars and knowledge. Paul says in the last verse of chapter 12:

“너희는 더욱 큰 은사를 사모하라 내가 또한 가장 좋은 길을 너희에게 보이리라”(고전 12:31)

"But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way." (1Corinthians 12:31)

The greatest gifts they should desire, and these gifts are their answer. The divided Corinthian church, even using sacrament as a tool to divide among themselves, should desperately hope for amnesty. What is that greatest gift? It is the gift that is introduced in 1Corinthians 13. The cross of Jesus, the sacrament we shared with disciples, the reason for coming to earth in human body, and the reason why we gathered in the church. What is it? It is love. Paul wrote to the Church of Colossians, who had suffered from similar problems.

“... 헬라인이나 유대인이나 할례파나 무할례파나 야만인이나 스구디아인이나 종이나 자유인이 차별이 있을 수 없나니 오직 그리스도는 만유시요 만유 안에 계시니라 그러므로 너희는 하나님이 택하사 거룩하고 사랑 받는 자처럼 긍휼과 자비와 겸손과 온유와 오래 참음을 옷 입고 누가 누구에게 불만이 있거든 서로 용납하여 피차 용서하되 주께서 너희를 용서하신 것 같이 너희도 그리하고 이 모든 것 위에 사랑을 더하라 이는 온전하게 매는 띠니라”(골 3:11-14)

"Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against on another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:11-14)

I am most please with the understanding of the context of this word among the words I have discovered through the New Testament. Every time we administer the communion service, we can be liberated from the guilty conscience that remains in our hearts. I receive this warning from the counsel fo God to love the congregation and the church more and to serve with lowliness. I hope you can be the same mind. It is a holly and blessed ordinance that confesses that we are in God and that we have the same faith and hope. I pray that you will be strengthen by the grace of the cross that has made us unite in your participation each month in this ceremony and that you witness the gospel of love here at First Generation church.